Weald Rise Primary School

WEALD FIRST SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 30 June – 1 July 2003

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WEALD FIRST SCHOOL

Short inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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WEALD FIRST SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Weald First - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Robin Hood Drive Harrow Weald Middlesex

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs M Graham

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: December 1997 Weald First - 4

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Team members

2440 Mrs P Francis Registered inspector 8991 Mrs P Goldsack Lay inspector 15023 Mr A Haouas Team inspector 1963 Ms S Raychaudhuri Team inspector

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Team members

Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester Dorset DT2 9PU

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Team members

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Weald First - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Weald Community First School is a large, urban first school that serves an area of the London borough of Harrow in Middlesex. During the inspection 309 pupils, aged four to eight years, from diverse social backgrounds attended the school. In addition, there is a nursery class for children aged three years with 26 places in the morning and afternoon. There are more boys than girls in each year group, except the nursery. Almost 60 per cent of pupils are white and 40 per cent of pupils come from ethnic minority backgrounds that include Indian, Pakistani, Black Caribbean, Black African and Chinese. There are 15 pupils from refugee families, predominantly from Somalia. A high percentage of pupils (73 per cent) speak English as an additional language with 11 of these pupils at an early stage of language acquisition. The main languages spoken, in addition to English, are Gujarati, Urdu, Farsi and Somali.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Many pupils join or leave the school during the course of the school year because parents from RAF families (approximately ten per cent) move frequently, many families leave the area because of the high cost of housing and there is frequent movement of families in temporary social housing. The proportion of pupils who are eligible for a free school meal is above the national average. Overall, pupils’ attainment on entry is average, although it varies widely. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and the proportion with a Statement of Special Educational Needs are broadly in line with the national average. Pupils with special educational needs have learning, emotional and behavioural, and speech difficulties. There are four pupils with statements for autism. There has been a large turnover of staff in the last two years and difficulty with recruiting teachers due to the high costs of housing in the area.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school that provides good value for money and has many positive features. Pupils across the school achieve well and at the end of Years 2 and 3, attain above average standards in English, mathematics and art and design. They have good attitudes to their work and are well behaved. This is due to the good quality of teaching and the effective leadership and management from the headteacher and teachers, supported by the governors.

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What the school does well

• All groups of pupils across the school achieve well due to the good teaching, and, by the end of Years 2 and 3, standards in English, mathematics and art and design are above average. • Pupils have good attitudes to their work, very good personal development and they behave well because they enjoy very good relationships with teachers and their assistants, adults take good care of them, and there is good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, including very good provision to prepare pupils for living in a culturally diverse society. • The headteacher and key staff, supported by the governors, provide good leadership and management that promote good achievement and effective teaching and learning. • The school provides a good quality and range of learning opportunities for pupils to achieve well.

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What could be improved

• Teachers could plan their lessons with increased precision to help some pupils to achieve even more highly, especially those with higher attainment and pupils who have English as an additional language. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in December 1997. Since then, it has made good improvement. Despite a high turnover of teachers during the last two years, many positive features of the school, identified during the previous inspection have been maintained, such as, the good teaching in the nursery and reception classes and the good quality and range of the curriculum. Standards have improved in English and mathematics at the end of Years 2 and 3 with an improving trend in test results at the end of Year 2. The Weald First - 7 school gained achievement awards from the DfES for the improvement in its standards in Years 2000 and 2002. Pupils across the school achieve well, teaching and learning across the school are now good and the school provides better value for money than it did in December 1997. The key issues of the last inspection have been addressed fully. The continuing effective leadership and management by the

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

headteacher, supported by the governors, together with their commitment to continuous improvement, mean that the school has a good capacity to succeed.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 2 based on National Curriculum test results.

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Key

Reading A A A A well above average above average A B Writing A A B B average below average C D Mathematics B A B A well below average E

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Key

Children achieve well in the nursery and reception, and attain above average standards in most areas of learning by the end of the reception year. By the end of Year 2, standards in teacher assessment of science in comparison with schools nationally and with similar schools, were average. The provisional test results for the end of Year 2 in 2003 show a similar picture to test results in 2002 in reading, writing and mathematics and an improvement in science. The work pupils were doing during the inspection confirmed these above average standards in English and mathematics for the end of Year 2 and pupils achieve well.

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Key

The work pupils were doing at the end of Year 3 during the inspection confirmed that pupils achieve well and reach above average standards in English and mathematics. Pupils of all ability groups, boys and girls and those from ethnic minority groups and refugees make good progress. The display around the school illustrates pupils’ above average standards in art and design at the end of the reception year and Years 2 and 3. In lessons seen and previous work, pupils made good use of information and communication technology (ICT) in other subjects.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils like coming to school, they are keen to learn and have good attitudes towards their work.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Pupils of all ages behave well and respond positively to the school’s strong moral and social ethos. The only exclusion in recent years was appropriately managed.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils from all racial groups get on very well together and with all the adults in the school. They work constructively, co-operating in groups and productively on their own.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good. The rate of attendance is above the current national average. Weald First - 8

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Years 1 – 2 Year 3

Quality of teaching Good Good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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Years 1 – 2 Year 3

Across the school, the quality of teaching and learning is good. Children in the nursery and reception classes learn well due to the good teaching. Teachers manage their classes well and make effective use of many practical activities and play to reinforce children’s learning. As a result, pupils enjoy a positive start to school; they make good progress, behave well and are keen to learn.

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Years 1 – 2 Year 3

In Years 1 to 3, pupils make good progress in their basic skills because teaching is good in English and the skills of literacy, and in mathematics and the skills of numeracy. The particular strengths in teaching are teachers’ good management of pupils and their use of an effective range of teaching methods, particularly skilful questioning. Their lesson planning is good with clear aims for pupils’ learning and work that is usually well matched to meet the needs of pupils of all levels of prior attainment. Pupils, who attain more highly, make good progress in lessons. However, their achievement could be improved further if teachers provided work at a higher level from the start of their activities, and did not always expect them to cover work for the more average attainers before undertaking their extension work. Good ongoing assessment is used well to plan for each group in the next lesson. Teachers identify

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Years 1 – 2 Year 3

opportunities for assessment within their lesson planning and make good use of performance data to set targets for pupils. In some of the better lessons, there was good use of the final part of the lesson to assess pupils’ learning. Teachers make good use of resources, including ICT. As a result, pupils, including those with learning difficulties and English as an additional language, learn well. Pupils try hard to succeed and work productively at a good pace, they are interested in their lessons, think hard about their work and know what steps they must take to improve.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The school provides a good range of learning opportunities across the school, with a strength in the arts. A wide range of visits and visitors and very good extra-curricular activities enrich the curriculum.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good, due to the work designed for them by their teachers, the extra support given by skilled teaching assistants and the co-ordinator for special educational needs.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. Pupils who are at the early stages of learning English are given effective support from the support teacher and teaching assistants to enable them to achieve well. Class teachers identify the overall needs of bilingual pupils in their planning of lessons, but need to be more precise in their identification of each pupil’s specific level of fluency in English to meet these pupils’ needs more accurately.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Overall, good provision for pupils’ personal development with good provision for pupils to develop an understanding of their social and moral responsibilities. The school is making very good provision to prepare pupils for living in a culturally diverse society.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares Good. Teachers and classroom assistants know pupils well and take Weald First - 9 for its pupils good care of them. Weald First - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The headteacher conveys a clear educational direction for the school’s development and provides good, professional leadership that is focused upon raising standards and continuous improvement. The senior management team and teachers in their roles as co-ordinators, support her well.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. The governing body is committed to the school’s success and is aware of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Currently there are many new members who are beginning to exercise their roles effectively. Information to parents in the governors’ annual report does not fully meet the legal requirements.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The school has made good improvement in pupils’ standards because it evaluates pupils’ performance in national tests thoroughly, including the performance of different groups of pupils, and takes effective steps to improve any areas of weakness.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. The governors apply the principles of best value effectively and the school makes good use of its finance to provide good levels of staffing and learning resources.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school, behave well and are making good progress. • They feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. • The teaching is good. • The school expects their children to work hard and achieve their best, and is helping them to become mature and responsible. • The school is well led and managed. • The amount of work that children are expected to do at home. • The information that they receive about their children’s progress. • The way the school works with parents. • The range of activities that the school provides outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents’ views of the school are satisfactory. The inspectors endorse parents’ positive comments and disagree with parents’ negative views. The inspection team found that the amount of work that children are expected to do at home is appropriate and matches the school’s policy, which is in line with national guidelines. The information parents receive about how their children are getting on is good and parents are welcome to discuss their children’s progress with teachers at any mutually convenient time. The range of activities outside lessons is very good. The school tries to obtain the views of parents by sending out questionnaires for improvements that parents would like to see in the school’s development plan, but so far, has only received a 25 per cent response. As the parents’ perceptions of their partnership with the school could be improved, the school should be more proactive in its development of

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All groups of pupils across the school achieve well due to the good teaching, and, by the end

of Years 2 and 3, standards in English, mathematics and art and design are above average.

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All groups of pupils across the school achieve well due to the good teaching, and, by the end

1. Teaching is good in the nursery and children learn well from the many varied and interesting activities they are given from the moment they arrive at school. The teacher’s planning is effective and includes a good balance of activities directed by an adult and those that children choose for themselves. This was seen one morning when after their arrival, children were invited to join an adult to make play dough, mix paint or share the story of ‘The Gingerbread Man’. Other children chose to play with sand or water, with small world toys, in the home corner or used the computers. Adults have good questioning skills and encourage children to respond and talk about their tasks. The class is well organised, children are very well managed and there is a calm, purposeful atmosphere in the room. All groups of pupils are fully included in all activities and the teacher’s file shows effective assessments built into her curricular planning with evaluations of

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All groups of pupils across the school achieve well due to the good teaching, and, by the end

activities and comments on how individuals have made progress in the areas of learning. Due to this good teaching, children achieve well and make a positive start to school.

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All groups of pupils across the school achieve well due to the good teaching, and, by the end

2. Teaching is also good in the reception classes. Teachers continue the good use of practical activities seen in the nursery to encourage children to learn. This was seen in mathematics when the teacher’s aim was for children to have an understanding of the passage of time in one minute. They carried out various practical activities counting how many times they could undertake a task in the time, measured using a sand timer. In the geographical aspect of knowledge and understanding of the world, children used the sand and water trays, construction kits and objects to make three-dimensional models of the features of the trail from the story, ‘We’re going on a Bear Hunt’. They identified the features using the correct geographical terms and drew a simple map of their bear trails. As in the nursery, teachers are skilled in asking questions and encourage children to use their language skills across the curriculum. They manage children well and provide

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All groups of pupils across the school achieve well due to the good teaching, and, by the end

activities at various levels to match the differing attainments of groups of children. As a result of the continuing good teaching in the reception classes, children achieve well and attain above average standards in most areas of learning.

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All groups of pupils across the school achieve well due to the good teaching, and, by the end

3. By the end of Year 2, test results in 2002 indicated well above average standards in reading compared to all schools and to schools with a similar profile of pupils. Standards in writing were above average compared with all schools and to similar schools and above average in mathematics in comparison with all schools, and well above average compared with similar schools. Provisional test results in 2003, showed similar results to 2002, but with fewer pupils attaining the higher levels. The school, from its tracking of pupils’ progress, judges this to be an accurate picture for a cohort with fewer higher attainers than in 2002 and, which includes more pupils with special educational needs, particularly pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties who have individual education plans to support their behaviour. The work pupils were doing during the inspection confirmed these above average standards for pupils at the end of Year 2. Inspection

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All groups of pupils across the school achieve well due to the good teaching, and, by the end

findings also confirm that pupils at the end of Year 3 attain standards in English and mathematics that are above average. By the end of Years 2 and 3, all groups of pupils, boys and girls, pupils with special educational needs, pupils in all ability ranges and pupils with English as an additional language, achieve well in relation to their average standards at entry to school. Pupils’ skills in reading, writing and in speaking and listening are good. These above average standards have been achieved because pupils are taught well and teachers build progressively upon the standards attained at entry to Year 1.

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All groups of pupils across the school achieve well due to the good teaching, and, by the end

4. In Years 1 to 3, a strength in the teaching is the way in which teachers provide suitable activities for each of the groups of differing attainment in their mixed ability classes, and in return, all groups learn well. Extension work is provided to challenge the higher attainers and pupils with special educational needs have good individual education plans that identify appropriate targets, mainly in English and sometimes in mathematics. In some classes, pupils have behaviour support plans, which were used very well in one mathematics lesson in Year 2. The teacher praised a pupil for Weald First - 12 good behaviour that had exceeded the pupil’s target and the class joined her in congratulating the pupil for the effort made. Most lessons have clear objectives that are usually shared with pupils, and within their lesson planning, teachers identify criteria for assessment of pupils’ work. In several

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All groups of pupils across the school achieve well due to the good teaching, and, by the end

lessons, teachers used the final session well to assess pupils’ understanding of the learning objective. In a Year 1 English lesson, the teacher played a game with pupils to check their learning of phonemes that had been introduced. In a Year 2 mathematics lesson, the teacher checked pupils’ knowledge and understanding of geometrical shapes by describing the properties of individual shapes using the correct mathematical vocabulary and pupils had to identify the shape. In a Year 3 music lesson, the teacher used questioning well to ascertain whether pupils had acquired certain skills in playing the recorder. Also in Year 3, in personal and social education, pupils read their messages and poems on ‘friendship’ to the class. The teacher praised their efforts and increased pupils’ confidence in their work. The school carefully tracks pupils’ progress from the baseline assessments made after pupils’ entry to the end of Year 3. Targets,

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All groups of pupils across the school achieve well due to the good teaching, and, by the end

written at the front of pupils’ books are used in English and mathematics to encourage pupils to achieve the next step. In mathematics books in Year 1, the teachers wrote dated comments regularly against the targets to explain whether they had been achieved or not and when work was marked, comments were made about the target. This good practice is not consistent in all year groups. As a result of teachers’ good ongoing assessment, pupils are clear about the purpose of lessons and what is expected of them in order to achieve their best. The assessments enable them to begin to evaluate their own learning and the ways in which they could improve their work.

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All groups of pupils across the school achieve well due to the good teaching, and, by the end

5. In most lessons, the pace is brisk and, in return, pupils work productively at a good pace, they are interested in their lessons and concentrate well. Teachers have high expectations for pupils’ achievement and behaviour and manage pupils well, including some pupils who exhibit challenging behaviour. Most pupils meet these expectations, they try hard to succeed and have very good relationships and respect for their teachers and teaching assistants. In most lessons, teachers use appropriate methods to match the objectives of the lesson, they choose activities that help pupils to achieve the objectives and they are skilful in their use of questioning. In a Year 3 lesson in personal and social education on ‘friendship’, pupils explained what friendship meant to them from their previous knowledge and identified the qualities that they liked to see in their friends. It was the teacher’s skilful questioning that extended their thinking; questions such as, ”What things

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All groups of pupils across the school achieve well due to the good teaching, and, by the end

might stop you being friends? What could spoil a friendship?”. Teachers make good use of support staff and assistance from students and parent volunteers. It is clear from their lesson plans, how other adults will be used and the adults who help, know what is expected of them. Pupils are encouraged to use ICT across the curriculum and were seen using it for research from the Internet in geography, mathematics, science and in personal and social education. Display showed that pupils in Year 1 had used ICT in art and design to generate symmetrical pictures of butterflies.

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All groups of pupils across the school achieve well due to the good teaching, and, by the end

6. Although no teaching of art and design was observed during the inspection, the display around the school illustrates the results of the good teaching that must have occurred to promote pupils’ above average standards in art and design at the end of the reception year and Years 2 and 3. The work displayed is of good quality. It is attractively displayed and includes an extensive range of work in two and three dimensions, in different scales from large wall pictures of ‘The Three Little Pigs’ and ‘The Teddy Bears’ Picnic’ in reception and Year 1, to small, detailed, observational drawings of growing plants by Year 1. Pupils study the styles of famous artists, such as the study of colour and line in Year 3 based on Bridget Riley’s work and the study of primary colours using Piet Mondrian’s compositions in Year 2. Professional artists have worked alongside pupils in workshops; the good quality results can be seen on the exterior of the school building in tiled

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All groups of pupils across the school achieve well due to the good teaching, and, by the end

panels welcoming people to the school and in photographs of stained glass panels in the reception classes. This work has contributed to the school’s recent Artsmark award from the Arts Council.

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development, including very good provision to prepare pupils for living in a culturally diverse

society. Weald First - 13 7. Very good relationships are evident between all adults and pupils and between the pupils. Adults and pupils know each other well and the school takes good care of them. There are good procedures for child protection. Pupils value the contributions of others; for example, in the achievement assembly, they appreciated other pupils’ work and shared the school’s Artsmark award that pupils had collected from the Royal Festival Hall the previous day. Adults provide pupils with good role models and manage them in a consistent manner, using positive reinforcement of good behaviour as an example to others. Consequently, pupils are confident in contributing their ideas. As a result of the positive way that adults treat them, pupils have good attitudes to their work. They are keen to work hard for their teachers, show interest and persevere in their activities. These attitudes develop well from their earliest days in school. The very good relationships develop

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development, including very good provision to prepare pupils for living in a culturally diverse

quickly in the nursery and reception classes. The appropriate emphasis put on children’s personal, social and emotional development contributes to the children settling into school routines rapidly. All groups of pupils are valued and receive good support to succeed. Pupils have good work habits. They take pride and care in the presentation of their work, a key issue from the previous inspection that has been addressed well, and settle quickly to tasks. They organise themselves well when working in pairs and larger groups, seen in a mathematics lesson in Year 2 when pupils used egg boxes to investigate pattern. Very good racial harmony was in evidence in the pairs; boys and girls and pupils from different ethnic groups worked together and shared ideas and tasks fairly and sensibly.

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development, including very good provision to prepare pupils for living in a culturally diverse

8. Parents at the pre-inspection meeting and in the parental questionnaires agreed that pupils like coming to school. Attendance is good. Pupils behave well as a result of the opportunities pupils are given to respond to the good spiritual, moral and social provision in the curriculum, and to the very good relationships with the adults in the school. The school gives pupils opportunities to explore religious beliefs, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity and Judaism in religious education. A climate of respect is developed in which all pupils can grow and flourish, respect others and be respected. There is an appropriate emphasis on right and wrong with a clear code for behaviour to which pupils contribute their ideas at the beginning of the school year in their new classes. The school gives pupils opportunities to explore moral values and encourages them to take responsibility, for example, in caring for the environment when pupils in Year 3 helped a

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development, including very good provision to prepare pupils for living in a culturally diverse

professional garden designer to design the garden outside their classrooms, and in the environmental club where pupils tend the school garden and use compost bins to recycle waste. Teachers also provide opportunities for pupils to express their views, as seen in a discussion in a lesson in personal and social education and in writing on ‘What makes a good friend’. The school is inclusive to all groups of pupils and during an assembly the headteacher emphasised the meaning of teamwork, ‘Together Each Achieves More’.

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development, including very good provision to prepare pupils for living in a culturally diverse

9. The school’s provision for cultural development is very good. There is good enrichment of the curriculum by visits to the community and visitors to the school, which include parents from ethnic minorities who visit to share their languages and information about their cultures. Pupils have good knowledge and understanding of other cultures in Britain from their work in religious education, in music and art. There are posters of welcome and notices in classrooms, for example, the art area, in several languages. Displays around the school reinforce and celebrate multicultural aspects of the school, for example, places of worship in different faiths and books on music from different cultures that is played in assemblies. As a result of the celebration of positive images of all cultures, there is very good racial harmony in lessons and around the school. The very good relationships, good attitudes and personal development together with good behaviour all contribute

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development, including very good provision to prepare pupils for living in a culturally diverse

very positively to the ethos of the school and are fundamental to its success.

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The headteacher and key staff, supported by the governors, provide good leadership and

management that promote good achievement and effective teaching and learning.

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The headteacher and key staff, supported by the governors, provide good leadership and

10. The headteacher has a clear vision for the development of the school, successfully evaluating its performance and developing initiatives to raise standards still further. Her senior management team, who have had to cover for the lack of a deputy headteacher for a year, have ably assisted her and the school’s positive ethos has been upheld. Despite a high turnover of teachers during the past two years, they have maintained, for example, the above average standards and good quality of teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage, the good quality and range of the curriculum Weald First - 14 including the good provision for pupils’ personal development, and the good leadership and management. Since the last inspection, teaching and learning has improved in Years 1, 2 and 3, which has resulted in pupils’ good achievement and higher standards in English and mathematics at the end of Years 2 and 3, as well as pupils’ above average attendance and the school’s

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The headteacher and key staff, supported by the governors, provide good leadership and

enhanced value for money. All the key issues from the last inspection have been addressed fully.

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The headteacher and key staff, supported by the governors, provide good leadership and

11. One of the reasons that the school is successful and that pupils achieve well is that the headteacher and staff, supported by the governors, analyse its performance thoroughly and take immediate steps to improve any areas of weakness. For example, the school has identified that standards in writing, although above average, are not as high as those in reading. Strategies have been put in place to improve spelling to address this issue. The school carefully tracks pupils’ progress from the baseline assessments made after pupils’ entry to the end of Year 3 and sets targets for individual pupils in English and mathematics to help them to improve their work and to try to increase the proportion of pupils who attain the higher levels. The school evaluates its work effectively by its collaborative approach to curricular planning in year group teams, the work of co- ordinators in monitoring their subjects by analysis of pupils’ work, working alongside colleagues,

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The headteacher and key staff, supported by the governors, provide good leadership and

talking to pupils and lesson observations, and through the development of portfolios of pupils’ work, which are matched to levels of the National Curriculum. The school has implemented the system of performance management effectively and teachers feel well supported in their professional development to increase their skills. The school was recognised as an Investor in People initially in Year 2000 and has had the status renewed this year.

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The headteacher and key staff, supported by the governors, provide good leadership and

12. The governing body has also experienced a high turnover of its members recently and is building a new team with considerable help from the headteacher in the induction of new governors. The governing body fulfils its responsibilities satisfactorily. The governors are committed to the school and take an active interest in all aspects. They are very supportive and share the headteacher’s view for the school’s development and have a good understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. There is an appropriate range of committees that report efficiently to the full governing body and a considerable commitment from governors and staff to ensure that all pupils receive a fair deal from the school whatever their gender, ethnic or social background or level of attainment. The governors have a clear policy for promoting racial equality, and the school’s practice and very good racial harmony illustrate effective implementation of their policy. The

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The headteacher and key staff, supported by the governors, provide good leadership and

governing body, in its targets for the headteacher’s performance management, has related them to the achievement of African Caribbean pupils. The governors asked the headteacher to check whether there was an issue with the achievement of these pupils in comparison with others and to raise the standards attained. The provisional test results for 2003 show that this has happened for these pupils.

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The school provides a good quality and range of learning opportunities for pupils to achieve

13. The school provides a good quality and range of learning opportunities for pupils that meets the interests and needs of the different groups of pupils in the school. The curriculum is broad, balanced and relevant, so that all pupils achieve well. The statutory curriculum is in place and is enhanced by the good use of visits and visitors, such as the visit by pupils in Year 1 for history to a Victorian kitchen at the Gunnersbury Park Museum. A helicopter and crew visited the school and took aerial photographs of the area around the school for geography, and the pilot explained how the machine worked for science. A very good range of extra-curricular activities includes clubs for art, gym, dance, the environment and football training, also enhances the curriculum. The majority of teaching time is used for English and mathematics, in which literacy and numeracy are taught well. There is a strength in the arts illustrated by the work in art and design (paragraph 6)

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The school provides a good quality and range of learning opportunities for pupils to achieve

and in music, taught by class teachers and supplemented by the good teaching from a specialist teacher.

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The school provides a good quality and range of learning opportunities for pupils to achieve

14. The curricular provision for the children in the nursery and reception classes is good. The teachers plan the curriculum effectively from the areas of learning for the Foundation Stage and ensure that the children undertake many practical experiences and make good use of play to extend their learning. The teachers use their classroom assistants well and there is a good balance of work Weald First - 15 directed by an adult and time for free exploration. Children settle into school quickly, soon know what is expected of them, learn the routines well and become independent very quickly.

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The school provides a good quality and range of learning opportunities for pupils to achieve

15. The planning of the curriculum is good. Teachers’ termly and weekly planning provide a consistent, good quality framework for teaching that clearly identifies objectives for pupils’ learning based on teachers’ good knowledge of their pupils’ differing prior attainment. The curriculum is well planned to meet the needs of all groups of pupils and they all have equal access to the curriculum that the school offers. In lessons, work is matched to the needs of different groups of pupils effectively and they achieve well.

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even more highly, especially those with higher attainment and pupils who have English as an

16. Although all groups of pupils achieve well, the higher attainers and those who have English as an additional language could achieve even more highly. Teachers, in their lesson plans, identify extension work for higher attainers. In most classes, these pupils receive extension work after they have covered similar work to other pupils first, instead of specific work at a higher level to challenge them to extend their thinking during the majority of the lesson. A rare good example was seen in a very good mathematics lesson in Year 2, when the higher attainers worked independently using the computer for an activity in which they sorted solid shapes into three groups based on their properties. The teacher and teaching assistants supported the rest of the class in learning the technical mathematical vocabulary used to describe the properties of common solid shapes; knowledge, skills and understanding already achieved by the higher

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even more highly, especially those with higher attainment and pupils who have English as an

17. The school identifies the numbers of pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language within teachers’ curricular planning. In addition, pupils with special educational needs have good quality individual education plans with targets to meet their specific needs; pupils with English as an additional language do not have such plans. Class teachers receive the support of a specialist teacher for pupils with English as an additional language for the equivalent of one day per week and all classes share her time. This means that class teachers need to be more responsible for meeting the specific language needs of individual pupils in their classes, and thus relies on teachers’ individual skills. Although the school gives these pupils additional support in literacy, class teachers do not plan specifically to meet their needs against their individual levels of fluency in English in other subjects.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

18. In order to continue the good work of the school, the headteacher and governors should now address the following in their action plan:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) improve the precision of lesson plans, to meet the specific needs of each group of pupils more accurately and assist them to achieve even more highly, particularly the pupils with higher attainment and English as an additional language by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensuring that work planned for higher attainers builds on their previous knowledge and skills and is at a higher level to challenge them to extend their thinking during most of the lesson;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensuring that work planned for pupils with English as an additional language meets their specific needs against their individual levels of fluency. (paragraphs 16, 17) Weald First - 17

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 8

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than four percentage points.

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR– Y3

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 26 309

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/A 70

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Special educational needs Nursery YR– Y3

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 4

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 70

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

English as an additional language No of pupils

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 73

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 30

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 38

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

School data 4.5 School data 0.5 Weald First - 18 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Weald First - 19 Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2) Year Boys Girls Total

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 44 37 81

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 39 39 42 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 35 36 36

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 91 (92) 93 (89) 96 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 40 41 40 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 36 36 36

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 94 (87) 95 (92) 94 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

White – any other White background 10 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Mixed – any other mixed background 16 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 11 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 17 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black or Black British – Caribbean 19 1 1

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black or Black British – any other Black background 7 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Any other ethnic group 2 0 0 Weald First - 20 No ethnic group recorded 0 0 0 The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers and classes Financial information

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 14.5 Financial year 2002/03

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.3

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Education support staff: YR – Y3 Total income 844,231

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 10 Total expenditure 848,160

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 192 Expenditure per pupil 2,345

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 29,000

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 25,071

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 2

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 30

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 6.6

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 7.6

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

FTE means full-time equivalent. Weald First - 21

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Percentage of responses in each category

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 49 42 7 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 39 49 8 3 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 28 46 13 8 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 43 36 20 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 60 35 3 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 46 43 7 1 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 35 45 14 2 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 39 50 5 2 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 39 50 5 1 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 35 36 16 2 10

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Other issues raised by parents

Three parents made further comments on the reverse of the questionnaire form. Most of the opinions expressed are reflected in the questionnaire responses summarised above.

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